What happens when you call

Anyone can call their local Children’s Aid Society if they have a concern about the safety or well-being of a child under the age of 18. Each year, we receive more than 13,000 calls from our community. Professionals who care for children, such as teachers, daycare providers, and health care workers contact Peel CAS.  We also receive calls from concerned family members, friends or neighbors who may be worried about a child or youth. Professionals who work with children are required to report abuse or neglect concerns if they suspect a child is in need of protection. Learn more in our Duty to Report brochure.

At Peel CAS, we understand that you may be hesitant to call us with questions or to report your concerns about a child or family. If you are not sure whether to call, we recommend that you do. A trained Advice and Assessment worker will listen to your concerns and provide advice. We are available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the Peel community.

Your call lets us know about a child, youth or family that might be in need of support, and will give you peace of mind that you did your part to help. You are not required to give your name unless you are a professional who works with children, such as a teacher or a doctor.

We will explain the services we offer and ask questions to help us determine how much support a family may need. Sometimes we can provide assistance over the phone. Other times, one of our workers may set up a time to visit with a family to see if there are any other ways we can help. If a child is at risk, a worker may visit a family right away.

While one call from the community may not always result in Peel CAS involvement, different calls about the same children or family allow us to identify patterns of concern, which may indicate the need for further assistance.  This is why we encourage concerned members of the community to call and talk to us - no matter how minor or serious their concern for a child.

Children do best when they are at home with their families. Our priority is always to give parents the support they need to create a stable home. In only a small number of cases are children removed from a family. If this has to happen, we first look for a family member or friend to care for the child while we work to strengthen the family’s caregiving skills and create a safe home.